David Miliband

Foreign Secretary

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Wednesday 02 September, 2009

Poppy cultivation in Afghanistan

The latest UN figures of opium production in Afghanistan are important. They show a 22 percent fall nationally in poppy cultivation (following a 19 percent decrease last year), and a 33 percent fall in Helmand for 2009. Higher wheat prices, relatively low opium prices, counter narcotics activity, and localised improvements in security have driven this improved performance. Governor Mangal has developed an innovative 'Food Zone' programme that explains a significant part of this change, comprising public information aimed at farmers, wheat seed distribution to 32,000 households, and law enforcement.

We are eight years into a programme to sustainably tackle the drugs trade. The combination of market forces and security is making a difference.

Posted at 12:16 02 September 2009 by David Miliband  |  Comments[9]

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Sir, thank you for this EXCELLENT information through this blog; this is a good news for Afghanistan. Governor Mangal's 'FOOD ZONE' programme is really playing a significant part in this region. Opium production from poppy is damaging the lives of innocent citizens of the region and is the main financial source for anti-social elements. The 22 fall in poppy production is a good news for the whole region, including 'GOLDEN TRIANGLE'. [ Prabhat Misra, blog: http://www.onedaywithnature.blogspot.com ]

Posted by Prabhat Misra on September 02, 2009 at 02:33 PM BST #

It is a great honoI agree with you completely in the statistics mentioned r that I will comment on your story ,Already confirmed the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations FAO in 2004 during the International Donors Conference in Berlin, Germany to fight against opium production must be based on the rule of law and the rehabilitation of the agricultural sector. In this context, FAO appealed for $ 60 million to support the agricultural sector of Afghanistan in the coming year and especially for crop production and seed multiplication, irrigation, animal health and production, plant protection and nutrition education and capacity building. The program includes another component cost up to 25,5 million dollars to finance agricultural development projects over the next five years, in four main poppy-producing states, where about 1,5 million people.

Posted by mohamed on September 02, 2009 at 02:58 PM BST #

I certainly welcome this rather dramatics decrees in poppy cultivation regardless whether it is market driven or as result of hard work of British and Afghan counter narcotics officials. However, Afghanistan is still the largest opium producer in the world 91; I suppose we can safely say that the war is far from over. I wish the Helmand governor and his British counterparts all the best

Posted by Abbie Aryan on September 02, 2009 at 11:57 PM BST #

Is it expected to have an effect on recreation use of heroin within the UK or will the void created from a reduction in Afghani heroin be filled by an increased export from countries such as Vietnam, Thailand, Mexico, etc? Are any steps being taken to actively reduce the numbers of addicts with the UK which in turn will bring down the demand for the drug whilst decreasing criminal activity such as theft and prostitution which are often the only way of users funding their addiction. Whilst the above figures are excellent news, would a more pro active approach not be more appropriate for something which funds terrorism and destroys many lives within the UK. Perhaps if Governor Mangal were to make it illegal to germinate opium poppys, and to begin burning any crop that is discovered, we could expect to see figures 2 - 3 times higher than the already impressive 22!

Posted by Sam on September 03, 2009 at 02:07 PM BST #

Ideally speaking, though, and if we truly believe in market economics, in the long run we should concurrently and drastically step up the proper socio-cultural education of our children in the West so that they abhor drugs and thus turn the demand for poppies off too! And it’ll be more cost-effective in the long run also.

Posted by Andy Ray on September 03, 2009 at 05:04 PM BST #

It is not completely 'out of the box' thinking to suggest that wholesale purchase of the Afghanistan opium crop by the WHO, or some other international agency, for providing the raw material for medicinal purposes, may be an interim solution. With strict control, the money thus could help a transition to wheat production, etc. Question: has this been considered?

Posted by Peter Vince on September 03, 2009 at 06:47 PM BST #

And where's the evidence market forces have somehow reduced poppy production?

Posted by Rhoderick Gates on September 04, 2009 at 02:24 PM BST #

The remarks from Messrs Brown, Milliban,et al as received by me from BBC Radio 4 news today & previously, as to the need for the UK to persist in present Afghan War to remove risk of attack on UK, remind me of a similar flood of Blair type Dossier type rubbish as to the need to remove the risk of WMD attack by Irak. Irak had no WMD. Dr Blix investigator was pulled out from the country, he was pleading for more time, but US/UK wanted to get on with heir war. We do not believe Dr David Kelly committed suicide, we think he was murdered

Posted by Syd Hambly on September 04, 2009 at 06:40 PM BST #

I second Peter Vince’s question below but what is the FCO policy on Poppy for Medicine? This programme is based on successful models which have worked in other countries and links Afghanistan’s most prevalent resources - poppy and strong local village control systems – through the controlled cultivation of poppy for the village-based production of morphine. The key feature of the model is that village-cultivated poppy would be transformed into morphine tablets in the Afghan villages for international as well as local sale. The entire production process, from seed to medicine tablet, can thus be controlled by the village in collaboration with government and international actors, and all economic profits from medicine sales will remain in the village, allowing for economic diversification. See www.poppyformedicine.net

Posted by Percefal on October 08, 2009 at 02:42 PM BST #

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